1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to PC/TV systems wherein tunable channels can be accessed via the use of keyboard macros. More particularly, the present invention relates to a personal computer/television system wherein the TV portion of the system can be controlled by a wireless keyboard via performing alpha-numeric macro commands which designate predetermined TV viewing channels.
2. Description of the Related Art
A personal computer/television (PC/TV) convergence device is a fully functional computer emulated with the functionality of a television. The PC/TV may provide a TV mode for viewing television related information (e.g., via broadcast, cable, satellite, VCR, digital disk, or other broadcast media). The PC/TV also provides a computer mode for computing functionality. Thus, the convergence of computer and TV functionalities enables a user to have combined access to television program information, computer related functionality, and the Internet.
A PC/TV convergence device may comprise a fully functional computer which may include a memory, microprocessor, hard drive, floppy disc drive, fax modem, CD-ROM player, keyboard, monitor, power supply, mouse, game pad/joy stick, microphone, etc. The computer is interfaced with a television or monitor such that the television's or monitor's normal National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) signal is converted to a scan “video graphics adapter” (VGA) signal or the computer's scan VGA signal is converted to an NTSC interface signal.
The PC/TV convergence device is controlled by the computer's operating system (OS). The monitor can display both TV programs and computer applications either at the same time (in separate windows) or in separate modes. Furthermore, the convergence of a PC and a TV into a single system permits the utilization of available communication bandwidth, mass storage, and graphic capabilities to store and display applications within a television viewing environment. Basically, the computer is merged with consumer electronic functionality thereby enabling an average consumer to take advantage of many computing functions in an easy to use consumer oriented product.
The PC/TV changes a typical television from a passive device to a user interactive device. For example, while a user is watching TV, the user can request the PC/TV to download information from another source, (besides a TV station) such as the Internet, information about, among other things, the TV program. Such information can originate from a web site or from other data providers.
At present, televisions and personal computers are separate devices. A TV may incorporate a remote control. A standard TV remote control may control a variety of functions of or related to the TV. The remote control transmits infrared (IR) signals to the TV in order to indicate which button on the remote control was depressed.
Also at present, there exists IR computer keyboards. An IR keyboard allows the user to operate a computer without a wire being connected between the IR keyboard and the computer. This provides the user freedom of movement.
Many viewers who view television shows and channels have difficulty knowing or remembering what channel number is associated with what network. The number of channels and networks has greatly increased over the years with the addition of cable networks, direct TV, and satellite networks. Thus, the problem of remembering what channel number is associated with what network worsens.
Many cable and satellite services offer an onscreen program guide. The onscreen program guide alleviates some of the problems associated with networks and channels by providing a chart for the user to view. The program guide chart provides channel numbers and associated network names along with showtime information. The user can page up or down through the guide until the correct channel is on the screen. The user can then select the channel or use the remote to punch in the correct channel number to tune to the selected channel. This task can be a cumbersome process due to ‘today’s satellite systems having hundreds of channels and each page of the program guide requiring a few seconds to load or move.
Alternatively, a television watcher or user can memorize a favorite list of channels and directly key the channel numbers into their televisions or remote control devices. Most users can only memorize a few channels and therefore must access some kind of TV-guide if they wish to access a network that they have not memorized.
Of course, a user can always access a user guide in the form of a hard copy from a newspaper program guide. The problem with this solution is that there may be a limited availability of hardcopy program guides. Furthermore, the manual method of searching the guide to locate the desired showtime or network channel is time consuming. Still another problem with hardcopy program guides is that they do not always contain the correct channel listing for a desired network when the hardcopy listing is not for the user's satellite or cable service.
Some remote controls, associated with a television, may allow a user to program favorite channels. Such remote controls allow the user to not have to depend on the user's memory, but the user must still be able to remember which remote control buttons go with the networks (i.e., pressing “FAV ‘1’” goes to NBC and “FAV ‘2’” goes to CBS, etc.). Still another drawback is that only the person who programmed the remote control knows how the “FAV” (favorite) buttons are coded. And, finally only a limited number of programmable buttons may exist on the TV remote control thereby limiting the number of channels that can be saved.